Railroad gate



\ w. J. H. CHARLTON Noiy. 10. 1925. 1,561,056

RAILROAD GATE Filed A 1 27, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 //a&/ W

fililliamyafltnn Nev. 10,1925. 1,561,056 L W. J. H. CHARLTON RAILROAD GATE Filed April 27, 1925 3 Sheets-Shoot 2 F a, 0 i U l/wmw William J.H- harltmn 2 Nov. 10, 1925. 1,561,056

w. J. H. CHARLTON RAILROAD GATE r* Filed April 27. 1925 3 srTets-sheet a ALIA.

' W w/zg al A a William mi mm Patented Nov. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAILROAD GATE.

Application filed April 27, 1925.

I '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVlLLrair J. H. CHARL- TON, a citizen of the United States, and rcsident of \Vabeno, in the county of Forest and State of \Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad Gates; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

This invention relates to railroad gates.

Objects of this invention are to provide a railroad gate which is wholly automatic in its action and will close upon the approach of a train from either direction and will automatically open after the train has passed.

Further objects are to provide a railroad gate'which is of very simple construction, which may be easily installed, which does not require elaborate changes for its installation, and which is reliable in operation.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a railroad track with a gate and. associated mechanism applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of a portion of the operating mechanism. certain of the parts being in section.

Figure 3 is a corresponding view of further portions of the mechanism.

Figure 1 is a view of the automatic switch detached from the rest of the apparatus.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through the switch diagrammatically showing the electrical connections.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 0-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the operating mechanism with one of the gate arms.

Figure 8 is a sectional View through the clutch.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the device is mounted adjacent the railroad tracks 1. At a point spaced a material distance from the crossing a lever 2 is pivotally mounted, as indicated atv 3, on a bracket secured to one of the projecting ties. This lever carries an auxiliary lever 1 which isv pivoted thereto and which normally abuts a stop 5 carried by the lever 2, a spring 6 holding the lever 4: in its normal position. The outer end of the lever is provided with a roller 7' adapted to be engaged by a memher 8 carried by'the engine, 013 other appro: priate portion of the train,

Serial No. 26,119.

the stops 5 and springs 6 are the reverse of those first described. In other words, the levers shown on the right hand side of Figure 1 are adapted to operate for a train approaching in the direction of the arrow at the lower portion of Figure 1 whereas the levers on the left hand side of the tracks will not operate as the auxiliary levers 41- are merely moved outwardly against the action of their springs 6.

A cable 9 extends from the lever 2 and joins a cable 10 extending from the corresponding lever on the opposite side of the track. These cables pass to the operating mechanism and are joined to a plunger 11 hereinafter described in greater detail. Similarly a cable 12 extends from the lever 2 and joins a similar cable 13 from the corresponding lever on the opposite side of the track. These cables are joined to an operating slide 14.

Referring to the gate operating mechanism, it will be seen that an operating shaft 15 extends beneath the tracks 1, as shown most clearly in Figures 1 and 2. This shaft rigidly carries an outwardly projecting arm 16 which in turn carries the gate arm 17 and a weight 18. 7

Referring to Figure 8, it will be seen that the arm 16 is rigidly keyed to the shaft 15 and that a collar or clutch member 19 is slidably splined to such shaft. Further, it will be noted, upon reference to Figure 8, that a gear 20 is loosely mounted upon the shaft. This gear, as may be seen from Figures 5', 6 and 7, meshes with a small pinion 21 driven by the electric motor 22. The clutch member 19 is, adapted to cooperate with a clutch member 23 integral with the gear 20 and to temporarily operatively lock the shaft 15 to the gear 20. The clutch member 19 is operated by means of the slide 14: which is guided in any suitable manner as by means of the slot and pin construction indicated at 24' in Figure 7. It is to be noted that a helical spring 25 loosely surrounds the shaft 15 and presses the clutch member 19 outwardly towards closed position.

The plunger 11 guides 26and is provided with acollar 27 against which a spring 28 presses thus urging the plunger outwardly. The outer end of the plunger carries a pawl29 which, as

may be seen from Figure 3, is provided with a hooked end 30 adapted to engage one of the prongs of the switch wheel'32. This switch wheel 32 as shown, in Figure 5, is preferably of insulating material and is provided witha continuous contact ring on one side andlwitha plurality of spaced contact segments 34 on the other side con nected with the ring 33', as showninFigurc 5. Brushes 35 and 36 respectively, bear upon the rlngs 33 and 34,.

It is to-be noted further that the gear 20 is provided with a single tooth '37 which is adapted to be engaged by a'spring pawl 38, as shown in Figures 2 and dition of operation. I

The operation of the apparatus is as follows :Assuming that a train is approaching, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 1, it will be seen that the member 8 carried thereby strikes the wheel 7 and thus pulls the cable 9 outwardly. This draws the plunger member 11 inwardly and from Figure 3, itwill be seen that this motion rotates the switch wheel 32. This causes the brush 36 to engage one ofv the segments 34 and thus connects the motor 22. with the supply means 39. The motor then operates and rotates the gear'QO. As thisg'ear ro tates during the last quarter-of'its revolu- 'tion, the clutch 'member' "19 snaps intoengagement therewith and thus the shaft 15 is rotated, which in turn rotates the, gates into closed position. During the last por tion of the revolution of thegear 20,'it will be'seen from Figure 3, that a lug lO carried thereby contactswith one of the fingers of the switch wheel 32, and rotates such wheel,

thus movingthe contact segment. 34 out of engagement with the brush36 and arrest lJhG'IIlOtlOll of the motor.

It will be noted that the restoring weight of the gate cannot reversely rotate the gear 20 as the pawl 38 has snapped beneath theto'oth 37 and thus holds the reverse rotation. I

When, however, the train is passi11g*the crossing the member 8 contacts with the roller of 'the'le'ver' 2' (see Figuregl) and gear against retractstheslide 1'4 through the medium the cable .12. This draws theqclutchmember 19 outfof engagement with the clutch member oftheagear 20 and allows the shaft 15 to roclrthrough aquarter of a turn in a reversedirection due to the counter balancing weight of the gate, thus opening the gate.

It will thus be seen that an automatic is carried in suitable 8, under one con-.

gate has been provided which is of extremely simple construction, which controlled by the passing train to automaticallyhclose and open the gate, which is substantiallyffool proof in its operation, and which comprises a small numberof parts.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, it is to be understood that the invention may be var1-' ously embodied and is, therefore, to be limited only. as claimed.

- I claim: I I 1. Ina railroad crossing the combination of railroad tracks, a lever mounted adjacent said tracks and adapted to be moved by a passing train, a plunger connected with said lever, a switch operated by said plunger, an electric motor controlled by said switch, mechanism driven from said electric motor, a gate, a clutch adapted to connect said gate with said driven mechanism, a second lever mounted adjacent said tracks and spaced from said first lever a material'disjtance, and a slide connecting said clutch and said second lever. 7 I

2. In a railroad crossing gate, the combination of tracks, a first and a second lever mounted adjacent said'tracks and adapted" to be moved by a passing train, a shaft passing beneath saidtraoks, a gate carried at opposite ends of said shaft and rlgidly attached thereto, an electric motor, a gear loosely mounted upon said shaft and driven by said motor, a switch controlled by'said' first mentioned lever, and controlling the operation of saidmotor, a spring pressed clutch for operatively connecting said shaft and said gear, and a slide controlling the action ofsaid clutch and connected to said second mentioned lever.

3. In a railro-ad'crossing gate, the combination of tracks, a first and a second lever mounted. adjacent said tracks and adapted I and said'gear, and aslide'controlling the action of said clutch and connected to said secon'dmentioned lever, said first and said ,second. mentioned levers having movable."

members adapted to yield when urged in one direction Without actuating :said first and second mentioned levers, respectively.

4. In a railwaycrossing gate the combina *tion of tracks, a first lever anda second i lever adapted for successive actuation. by Ja passing train, a plunger connected to said :first n entiened lever, a slide connected to said SBGOnd lever, a shaft having av gate arm at opposite ends thereof and extending beneath said tracks a gear loosely mounted upon said shaft, a spring pressed clutch connected to said shaft and adapted to en-- gage said gear, said clutch being controlled by Said slide a switch wheel having a plurality of contact segments thereon, a brush cooperating with said switch wheel and adapted to engage said segments, said switch wheel 10 having a plurality of teeth thereon, a pawl carried by said plunger and adapted to engage the teeth of said switch Wheel, and an electric. motor operatively connected to said gear and controlled by said brush and segments.

In testimonytl'iat I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Vabeno, in the county of Forest and State of WVis consin.

HLLIAM J. H. CHARLTON. 

